Re: Squad for Wigan (Cup) : Thu Jun 06, 2024 6:20 pm  

Wires71 wrote:

I like Ratchford but Thewlis' kick percentage has improved a lot recently.

Spoken with a few people who think he should play for his goal kicking being that it’s a final. Where would you play him he is not going to replace current centres and other options well the player are doing well there to which would leave a bench spot but that would be a waste.

Re: Squad for Wigan (Cup) : Fri Jun 07, 2024 7:50 am  

karetaker wrote:

which would leave a bench spot but that would be a waste.

Not least because, if he was picked for his goal kicking, he'd need to be on the field all of the time.

Re: Squad for Wigan (Cup) : Fri Jun 07, 2024 8:20 am  

Crowther will be straight back in to the 17. Burgess loves him.

The team picks itself IMO. The only question mark is Wood or Bullock on the bench and I think he'll go with Bullock.

Re: Squad for Wigan (Cup) : Fri Jun 07, 2024 10:04 am  

karetaker wrote:

Spoken with a few people who think he should play for his goal kicking being that it’s a final. Where would you play him he is not going to replace current centres and other options well the player are doing well there to which would leave a bench spot but that would be a waste.

Yeah I agree with you. If Thewlis had not improved his kicking then there would be a case for Ratch over Tai.

Just watch Thewlis shank a vital one tomorrow

Re: Squad for Wigan (Cup) : Fri Jun 07, 2024 10:35 am  

Wires71 wrote:

Yeah I agree with you. If Thewlis had not improved his kicking then there would be a case for Ratch over Tai.

Just watch Thewlis shank a vital one tomorrow

For evidence of shanking a vital one under pressure, I refer you to the kick that would have given Stef the world record! Shows that it can happen to even the best.

[Uncle Rico]

Re: Squad for Wigan (Cup) : Fri Jun 07, 2024 11:32 am  

The Speculator wrote:

For evidence of shanking a vital one under pressure, I refer you to the kick that would have given Stef the world record! Shows that it can happen to even the best.

and by comparison it wasn't a difficult kick

Re: Squad for Wigan (Cup) : Fri Jun 07, 2024 11:39 am  

For me it’s hard to drop anyone out but, I can see the positives in playing Stef. Might need the extra experience in the final and he can also kick. But also with saying that, there has to come a time when we use a new kicker and Thewlis has been on the money for me.

Tough one to call but in Sam we trust. Hoping for a cracker of a game. Now the wire.

Re: Squad for Wigan (Cup) : Fri Jun 07, 2024 11:47 am  

Sam will pick what he thinks is the best team on the day and hopefully they will all bust a gut for the Primrose & Blue!

That will do for me.....Come on you Wire!

Re: Squad for Wigan (Cup) : Fri Jun 07, 2024 1:46 pm  

Howfenwire wrote:

For me it’s hard to drop anyone out but, I can see the positives in playing Stef. Might need the extra experience in the final and he can also kick. But also with saying that, there has to come a time when we use a new kicker and Thewlis has been on the money for me.

Tough one to call but in Sam we trust. Hoping for a cracker of a game. Now the wire.

It’s not a tough one to call - Ratchford should be nowhere near that 17 and thankfully I think Burgess would agree. He was the worst Wire player last week, luckily for him Rocky Hampshire made him look good. Ratchford should be behind glass only to be broken in case of an emergency.

Re: Squad for Wigan (Cup) : Fri Jun 07, 2024 4:00 pm  

ratticusfinch wrote:

It’s not a tough one to call - Ratchford should be nowhere near that 17 and thankfully I think Burgess would agree. He was the worst Wire player last week, luckily for him Rocky Hampshire made him look good. Ratchford should be behind glass only to be broken in case of an emergency.

It's tricky with Ratchford the connection is an emotional one I remember sat close to the pitch at OT in 2013 watching him come back to the sidelines in his boot and felt his frustration in not being able to directly influence the game. Being the best player on the pitch in the 2018 gf and still losing. We want him to do well and have the success he deserved.

Truth is though as others have said he's not in the best 17 in the club anymore and although i still feel he has a job to play in the squad he isn't in our strongest 17 and shouldn't play.